Bicycle frame head and cup



F. w. scHwlNN BICYCLE FRAME HEAD AND CUP Sept. 12, 1944.

Filed Sept. l0. 1941 Patented Sept. 12, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BICYCLE FRAMEI HEAD AND CUP Frank W. Schwinn, Chicago, Ill.

Application September 10, 1941, Serial No. 410,231

(Cl. Zim-279) locking engagement with a head cup embodying y 9 Claims.

My invention relates to a bicycle frame head and cup, and is particularly concerned With a head cup mounting adapted for use With a steering locked bicycle.

A number of locking arrangements for bicycles have'been developed, many of which have for their basic concept the locking of the front wheel fork against pivotal steering movement. Such a lock acts between the pivoted front wheel fork and the frame, and preferably should be concealed to avoid tampering.

While with a non-steering-locked bicycle an ordinary press or drive t of the head cup in the tubular head frame is sufficient to withstand all torsional stresses to which it is apt to be subjected, such mounting of the head cup is entirely inadequate for use where the locking stresses are to be transmitted to and carried by the head cup.

Among the features and objects of my invention are the following:

To conceal a locking arrangement for a steering-locked bicycle by means of a special arrangement of head cup and head cup mounting.

Tomount the head cup of a bicycle with concealed torque resisting features.

To fasten a concealed anchor member within the steering head of a bicycle frame and to arrange a head cup for torque resisting engagement therewith. y

To arrange the head cup of a bicycle so that the cup is lockedagainst torque stresses, but is not locked positively against' slidable endwise removal.

A further object of my invention is to arrange a torque locked head cup with a lock receiving opening disposed to register with the interior of a tubular frame member jointed to a head lframe within which the head cup is mounted, to

free alock member for passage through the opening in the headcup wall, and into the tubular frame member within which it is concealed and protected.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention Will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing, of which there is one sheet:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view partly` in vertical longitudinal section and partly in side elevation, showing the head frame of a bicycle with interconnected tubular frame members, and with a steering fork and steering fork stem mounted therein, asteering locking mechanism being illustrated as mounted Within the steering fork stem,

and a locking member'illustrated as in projected,

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the plane of the line 3--3V of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the ofthe line 4-4 Of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing in detail: i A bicycle frame I0 has a tubular frame head plane -member II and co-planar tubular frame members I2 and `I3 secured thereto as by welding.

A front wheel fork I4 is provided with a tubular stem I5 which passes through the frame head II, and is pivoted therein for steering movement. A lock-bolt opening I5a is provided in the'wall of the fork stem l5, the purpose of which Will .be brought out later in the specification.

A ball bearing cone member I6 is mounted von the fork I4 and engages a row of bearing balls Il which are mounted in araceway I8 in a head cup I9. The head cup has a tubular shank 20 adapted to have a tight pressed or drive lit Within the frame head II, the raceway I8 being provided by an enlarged oiset cup portion, formed at the lower end of the sleeve. The interior raceway for the bearing balls preferably is finished by grinding.

A lock-receiving opening 24 is provided, as 'by punching, in the wallof the tubular shank 2U kto register with the opening into the interior of the tubular frame member ;I3. The slug punched from the opening preferably is used as an anchor to secure the cup against turning movement under torque stresses to which it is subjected in use. A notch 22 is provided in the end of the tubular shank of the head cup, and is adapted to have a slidable t over the slug 23 which is secured, as by spot welding, to the inner face of the frame head II. 'I'heposition of the slug circularly of the frame head is notfmaterial to the invention, and may be determined by the vmanufacturing facilities available for securing `the slug in place. Any change in the location of theA slug, will however, require a corresponding change in the location of the notch 22 to bring the opening 24 into registry with the .tube I3.

The lock mechanism illustrated includes a lock retaining sleeve 25 closely iitted into the fork stem and having an lopening 26 therein register.-Y

l 5a is solocated radially of the fork stem that the wheel fork i 4 must be turned through an angle of approximately 90 degrees from a straightahead position to bring the openings into locking registry with each other.

A lock-bolt 21 is mounted slidably in a cylindrical recess 28 in a head block 29 secured within the lock-sleeve 25, a slotted Way 30 opening from the bottom of the head block into the recess 28 to Yfree the upper end of a bolt actuating lever 3| for slidable movement therein.V A recess 32 is provided in the lower side of the bolt to remyself of Vall changes within thek scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patceive the rounded head of the lever 3l, the lever being pivoted on a pin 33 'secured transversely of the sleeve. A spring 34 is coiled around the pin,

and is held in torsion between the sleeve wall andV the lever to urge the bolt toward a locked posinon.

A slotted opening `35 Ais provided in the lower end of the lever toreceive a pin 36 mounted eccentrically of a locking cylinder 31 which is pivotally mounted` in the steering fork I4. The

Y slotted opening 35 is illustrated as of a length to free the pin through the lower half only of the Aturning cycle of the` cylinder, and to prevent its rotation through the upper half of the cycle.

-This limits the turning movement of the cylinder to 180 degrees in eithervdirection, which is desirable in the arrangement illustrated.

Suitable key or combination operated locking means may be associated with the cylinder 31 as required; y f

A closure plate 38 is provided across the lower end of the fork stem to seal it against the entrance of dust and moisture. Y

A handle bar stem 40 is inserted inthe upper lend of thetubular fork stem. I 5, and is secured in adjusted position therein by means of a stemnut 4| and stem-bolt 42. `An upper head cup 43.is

mounted in the upper end of the frame head II', and is provided With a customary ball bearing,

not illustrated. An adjustable cone memberY .ly the inner wall of the frame head II without subsequent forming. This arrangement reduces to a negligible amountthe additional expense involved in practicingy my invention,

No change is required in the manufacturing setup or assembly operations for employing my `new torque anchored head cup as compared with the yold style plain shank head cup with the ex- 'ception of the provision for punching` the opening 24, and the notch 22 and securing the slug 23 in'position on the inner side of the frame head I l.

Y In case of excess Wear or damage to the head cup, it may be removed onV an arbor press, or by "means of a cup-puller, and replaced Withiaine'w Y one as easily and Vsimplyas in thecase ofthe old fstyle cups. Y i L i Whiiei haveiuustrated adpreferred embodimentl of my invention, it maybe modified without departing from the spirit of the.invention,

and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail u ent of the United States is:

l. A head cup for a bicycle frame having a tubular frame head and jointed co-planar frame members, the frame head having an inwardly offset portion carried thereby and having an opening from the head frame into one of the co-' planar tube members, said head cup comprising a skirt portion adapted to extend at least partially over the vopening from the frame head into the co-planar frame member and having a radial opening arranged to register with said frame member opening for projection of a lock bolt from the interior of the head cup. therethrough to the `interior of the frame member, said head cup having an edge portion disposed longitudinally` thereof and adapted to engage ythe oiiset portion of the frame head to anchor the shank against turning movement, the head cup being capableV adapted to register with the opening from the l frame head into the frame member to enable` a locking bolt to` be received therethrough and within said frame member, said head cup having an edge portion disposed longitudinally thereof and adapted to engage the offset portion of the frame head to anchor the vshank against turning movement. 3. A head cup for a steering-locked bicycle having a tubular frame head and interconnected tubular frame members, a radially offset wall portion carried by the frame head, a Wheel fork having a tubular stem pivotally supported in the Aframe head, and a lock member projectableradially ,through thewheel fork stem, said head'cup having a tubular skirt portion adapted to be inserted in the f'rame head, said head cup having an edge portion adapted to engage the offset-wall portion of the frame head on such telescopic insertion to anchor the head cup against turning movement, said skirt portion having anl opening therein adapted to receive the lock member to lock the fork stem to the cup to prevent steering movement. u

4L A head .cup for a steering-locked bicycle having a tubular frame` head and interconnecting tubular frame members in open communication therewith, a radiallyV offset wallportion carried by the frame head, a wheel'forklha'ving Y a tubular stem pivotally supported by thefrarne head, and a lock member. projectable radially beyond-the wheel fork stem, said head cupjhaving la tubularskirt portion adapted tof be inserted in the frame head, said head cup Ihav- `ing an edge portion adapted to engage the offsetA wall portion of the frame head on slidable insertion of the ytubularfskirt portion Yto anchor the head cup I- against `turning movement, .said skirt portion having anf opening` adapted lto register with the openingr from the frame head into one of the frame members to 'admit the lock member to' the interior of--suchframelmember,

prevent steering movement.

5. A radially anchored head cup for steering- Yto limit the insertion of the bearing cup, the

skirt of said head cup 'having an opening steering column of a front fork, Va head cup member having a tubular portion adapted to have a frictional t therein, said head cup mempunched in a side wall thereof and having a notch in an end thereof, the slug from the opening being secured to the inner'wall of the frame head and adapted toy enter the notch to anchor the cup against turning movement.

6. A radially anchored head cup for steeringlocked bicycles comprising in combination with a bicycle framer having a tubular frame head Vand interconnected tubular frame members, one

of said tubular frameL members being in open communication with the interior of the frame' head, a head cup having a tubular skirt portion adapted to tclosely within the frame head, an enlarged bearing race formed inan end of the bearing cup to seat against the end of the frame head to limit insertion of the bearing cup, the skirt of said lhead cup having an opening punched in a side wall thereof` and having a notch in the end thereof, the slug punched from said opening being secured to lthe inner wall of the frame head, and adapted to enter the notch y to anchor the cup against turning movement, the opening in the skirt being located to register with the opening from the frame head into the interior of the frame member to receive a lock member.

7. The method of locking a head cup to a bicycle tubular frame head, which comprises punching a slug from the cup Wall, forming a notch in the cup )end adapted to' receive the slug, securing the slug to the inner Wall of the frame head, and introducing the ycup into the frame head to bring the slug into the notch.

8. In a bicycle frame structure, thecombina tion of a ltubular frame head for receiving the extend into said tubular frame member and toy ber having anoutwardly and radially extending flange for engaging the endy of said tubular frame member and having the inner surface of said ange formed with a ball bearing race, the said tubular portion being formed ywith oppositely extending shoulders for preventing the rotation of said head cup member in said frame member, and a curved metal stop member having substantially the same curvature as the tubular portion of said head cup member, secured to the inner ,wall of said tubular frame member iny position to engage said shoulders, whereby the head cup member is positively locked yagainst rotation, a tubular steering column mounted in said tubular frame member for rotation and having a lock body in said column, a locking bolt adapted to be projected into a bolt recess in said tubular portion, and key-actuated means for controlling said locking bolt.

9. In a bicycle frame structure, the combination of a tubular frame head for receiving the steering column of a front fork, a head cup member having a tubular portion adapted to extend into said tubular frame member and to' have a frictional t therein, said head cup member having an outwardly and radially extending iiange for engaging the end of said tubular frame` member, the said tubular portion being formed with oppositely extending shoulders for preventing the'rotation of said head cup member in said frame member, and a curved metal stop member having substantially the same curvature as the tubular portion of said head cup member, secured to the inner wall of said tubular /frame member in position to engage said shoulders, whereby the head cup member is positively locked against rotation, a tubular steering column mounted in said tubular frame member for rotation and having a lock body in said column, a, locking bolt adapted to be projected into a bolt recess in said tubular portion, and key- 

